Appolyon Book 4, Africa
by DuckonMooseEh
Summary: The Titans go to Africa after the loss of two members... Bad summary, but oh well... I think I rated high, just to be safe. NI! REVIEW, OR I SHALL SAY 'NI' AGAIN!
1. New Life

New Life

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, or anything this story may have been based off of subconsciously. I don't think that there is anything, but if there is, please tell me, and I will add them to this disclaimer.

Cyborg sat alone at the airport, staring blankly in dazed incomprehension at the public television. He had arrived there several hours earlier, just after the meteor shower had stopped. As he walked, he could hear the rocks hit the ground, and he had heard a particularly loud crash from the direction of the temple just before dusk. He hoped that his friends were all right.

That wasn't the worst part, though. Apparently the Titan Tower had been destroyed in a massive earthquake that had also destroyed most of the city. The cleanup was being shown on the news.

As close as he could tell, the earthquake had happened the day that they had met Slade in Japan…

He looked away from the screen in horror and disgust, and then walked over to buy a ticket. Fifteen minutes later, he was on the cheapest plane he could get that day; he was leaving to start a new life.

As the stewardess gave the safety instructions, he thought about his flight. Usually flights to this destination were very expensive.

When the stewardess sat, he shrugged to himself. What did it matter that his new life would begin in Cairo, Egypt?

Wow… that was shorter than I thought… Don't hate me! I'm gonna have more soon. If I make it about as long as I want, this should be about 1/3 of the way through the book… I have all the major parts planned… hopefully I can think of something to put between them…

And yeah, I know, when I've named chapters like this before, someone has come back to life… well, not this time.

Don't you wish that fate worked like this in real life? The Titans have to go to Africa, and Cyborg, the only one who doesn't know this, just happens to get on a flight to Egypt…


	2. Starfire

Hey everyone, sorry its been so long since I've updated this story, but I've been distracted. First I had my Christmas story, which I still haven't finished to my liking, then I had an awesome band trip where we played at the Holiday Bowl (guaranteed ESPN coverage my ss…), and I got an X Box for Christmas, so I've been playing Halo 2 on Xbox live…

Yeah, I know those aren't very good excuses (at least not the last one) but what can I say? I like blowing people up with rocket launchers on Halo 2…

Allright, well Happy New Years to everyone, and Merry/Happy (insert holiday here). Please continue reading, and may Cortana make bad jokes at your expense if you don't review…

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, Xbox, Halo 2, or any of the other assorted things I may mention in my story (unless it is mine and Sosmo's comic, of course)**

Starfire wandered in silence across the desert, feeling more miserable than she had ever been. She wandered in the middle of the group of survivors. Robin was several feet in front, Slade just behind, and Tovar brought up the rear. They had tried to call Cyborg, but had long since given up; he obviously didn't care about his former friends anymore.

Wandering in silence was a foreign concept to the Tameraniean. She was usually very cheerful and talkative, but she now resembled the dark girl from their group. Ironically, it was the loss of this girl, and another friend, that had caused her to get like this. It just didn't seem possible to her that she was dead, yet she knew that they were.

To make it worse, the group didn't even have time, or the ability, to get the bodies from the rubble and bury them. They deserved better than to be left in that pile of rocks. Tears started to slide slowly down her face again, but she stumbled onwards, not making a sound. Somehow, Slade realized that she was crying. She heard him speed up, and then try to comfort her; she shrugged him away.

It was surprising. She obviously was completely overwhelmed by what had happened, and Robin was in a similar condition. He might not have shown it yet, but he felt that he should've been the one to die. He was the leader of the group, after all. He felt responsible.

Smoke lifted on the horizon. A small speck appeared, running towards them. Starfire was past caring about what it was. Slade looked up as Tovar pulled out a staff. He quickly pulled out a similar one as Robin made his sword. Clearly he was planning on taking out some of his frustration in a lethal way.

Within moments the thing was upon them. It was a giant spider, about fifty feet tall, with long fangs dripping venom. There were foot long brown hairs covering it, and it simply bowled over the waiting people.

Robin tumbled and landed back on his feet. He sprinted at the thing, reaching with one hand to throw a handful of explosives at the creature. Slade launched off Tovar's shoulder, hitting it in the eyes as Robin's bombs detonated. Tovar approached slowly, waiting until the spider was distracted, and smacked one of its massive legs, which cracked like a gunshot and hung limply. Enraged, the creature kicked, sending Tovar flying through the air to land in a heap a quarter mile away.

Robin hardly spared a glance at his comrad as he ran up a leg and stabbed it in the back. It thrased and let out a sharp squeel, and threw him from its back. Then it kicked Slade and turned to look at Starfire.

Starfire knew that the hide of the spider was much too thick for her Starbolts to puncture. She thought for a moment, and then hoped that she could still use a certain ability.

Starfire rose into the air, concentrating on being at once emotionless and full of righteous fury. Her eyes became a vortex of white, black, and green. As the spider rushed at her, she screamed the words which her friend wouldn't be saying anymore.

A green beam of energy burst forth from her hands, striking the spider in the head, and streams of blackness swirled around the edges of it. Within moments the combined powers tore through the spider, spewing bits of its body and entrails across the desert. The creature collapsed on the ground, gave a final twitch, and died.

Starfire floated slowly back to the ground, and looked at her hands as the colors faded from her eyes. She had used Raven's powers… or something like them. She had something to remember her friends by now.

Robin stood and helped Slade to his feet, and Tovar hobbled over. None of them had seen what she had done. She was glad about that. After a moment, they began walking. Slade spat at the body.

"Damn ugly spider," he hissed, "You're lucky she got to you first." Starfire ignored him.

Allright, I know that the fight was bad, but it was my first try at a fight. Actually, the Christmas ones were posted first, but I wrote this before I wrote them. In case you didn't understand, the sword Robin uses is from Spellbound (if anyone figured out how that actually works, please tell me, I've never actually figured it out). And I'm not sure if Starfire could actually use Raven's powers. I got the idea from Switched, and guessed the powers may have "hung over" or something… Anyways, that may have messed up the timeline of the series, but I dunno. Anyways, please review, and if you don't Cortana will make bad jokes at your expense.


	3. Father

Ok, I'm not really sure how I should continue right now… I'm trying to waste some time, because there is a lot that has to happen before the group gets to their next location. One being the group has to get back together. Anyways, I'll just refresh everyone's memories here.

Cyborg left the Titans, believing Slade would betray them. Slade, Robin, Tovar, and Starfire are on their way to Africa (and Cyborg is already there). Raven and Beast Boy are crushed under the debris of the collapsing temple/cave. Well, I think that's everything.

Cyborg sat on the plane, flying somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. He had left nearly 5 hours ago, and his muscles were getting stiff. He suddenly remembered why he had joined the Titans.

After his accident, nobody had accepted him. Even his parents had treated him differently, although that was to be expected, all things considered. He wondered what had happened to them…

The robot shrugged off the feeling. It didn't matter, they hadn't accepted him. Only the Titans had, and he was pretty sure they were dead now. He couldn't expect other people to be friendly to him anymore. All the stares and whispers around him were enough to convince him of that. He realized he missed his friends a lot.

Cyborg shook his head. They were gone, and that was the end of it. He had to concentrate on what else was happening. He glanced down at his arm and activated the phone. Several messages played directly into his head, ensuring that nobody else would hear.

The first couple were from the various Titans, and then there was even one from Slade. They said there had been something wrong and Raven had been hurt and might not make it through. The last one was from a distraught Starfire.

"Cyborg," she said, "I know that you are still mad at us, and at Slade, but I felt that you needed to know this. Raven and Beast Boy were…" There was a moment of silence, and then a sob. "They were the two that had to stay," she said simply, and then hung up. He sat, unable to believe what he had heard. His best friend, and his partner in nearly everything that had to deal with the day to day running of the tower were both dead. Somehow he knew it was his own fault.

As he thought, a tear slid slowly down his face. It made a kind of perverted logic, and humor. He figured in a way this could almost be seen as a victory for Beast Boy. Now he was with Raven forever… and there was nothing she could do about it. This thought brought a smile to Cyborg's face. At least now they weren't feeling any more pain.

A cloaked girl sat in a comfortable, though Spartan, room. She looked out at the ocean outside her window, feeling its energy coursing through her. The shattered debris of a jar lay at the base of one of the walls.

A soft knock echoed dully through her chamber. After a moment, the door slid quietly open, revealing an old man, dressed in a worn gray cloak. A white beard hung down from his face, giving him an appearance of great wisdom and age.

"Hello father," the girl whispered. She knew who it was, even though she wasn't looking at him, "What did you wish to ask me?"

A soft, friendly chuckle escaped the man, and then he spoke in a voice that was at once ancient and young, "I was wondering what the purpose was of giving the girl, Raven, her powers back. It made no difference."

"Father," she said, "It made a great difference. Nobody yet has seen it, but the time will come when the reason for my action is laid bare for all to see."

She heard movement and watched the man walk to the window, gazing out at the waves. Several minutes passed.

"I'm not going to pretend I understand everything that is happening here," he said, "just as my father didn't pretend when I was young."

The girl nodded.

"The others though…" he started, turning to look at her, "are they all going Africa as planned?"

Another nod, then more silence. After several moments, the father walked slowly out the door, closing it behind him.

She felt a brief stirring within her soul. The pieces were once more in movement.

_Point,_ she thought. A growl echoed within the hollows of her mind. The game was nearing its end.

Ok, I'm pretty sure that the last part made little or no sense. It will later… probably. Just keep in mind that the girl (Cyras) is the "player" for the good guys, and Trigon is the "player" for the bad guys.

I'm about to get to another plot twist… I think the chapter after next. And then we'll get back to the rejoining of the group the chapter after that. Aren't you excited?

Ok, please review, I'd appreciate it. Flames are accepted, and of course so is everything else.

NEW EPISODE PREMIERS TONIGHT!!! (please keep in mind, that's as of writing, not posting.)


	4. Egypt

Toby Keith is on TV as I'm writing this, and so I may not do all that great a job writing this. For those of you who don't know yet, I am a major country fan, and especially Toby Keith. I also like Evanescence. However, despite this, I am a diehard Parrot head. For those who don't know what Parrot heads are, they are Jimmy Buffett fans. They are the most loyal music fans in the world (and there was a study or something that actually proved it, too). LONG LIVE JIMMY!!!

Wow… I just realized that those are about the 3 most random singers/bands in existence. Add to this that I am obsessed with orchestral music, and you see that I am not normal even in music. HA!!!

I don't know why I just said all of that. It has no importance to the plot. This is not a songfics, and I am fairly sure that none of these will be songfics. So now I'll stop rambling about this and start rambling about the plot.

Robin lead the small troop through the airport that, unknown to them, Cyborg had flown from nearly half a day before. They were exhausted, dehydrated, and hungry. Wounds from the fight with the spider had slowed them, and grief had slowed them even more.

Despite that, there were no more incidences of emotional breakdown or attacks. It would've been a nice walk if it wasn't for the circumstances.

They walked up to the ticket counter, and the man there began to laugh to himself.

"More of them!" he said, "I can't believe it… this time there're 4!"

"What?" Robin asked, surprised by the strange welcoming.

"This morning some robot guy walked through. Don't know where he came from. It was the weirdest thing I'd ever seen… except for this."

"Cyborg? Where'd he go?"

The man stopped laughing and suddenly became professional as he stated, "I'm not allowed to give that information to anyone except for a family member."

Slade grabbed the man by the neck and lifted him into the air.

"I think you should tell us," Robin said, "He's a friend of ours. So what do you say?"

The man, turning slightly blue, nodded. Slade dropped him unceremoniously. After a couple deep breaths, the man choked out, "Egypt… he went to Egypt."

"Are there any more planes headed there?"

"One leaves in a couple minutes, but I think its full," the man said.

"Are there any others?" Starfire asked. It was the first thing she had said since they had gotten there. A faint glimmer of her old self had emerged when she realized they might be reunited with Cyborg soon.

"In a couple hours, yeah," the man said, "I can book seats for you, but they'll probably be expensive." He took his eyes off the attractive alien and looked at Tovar. "He may not fit, though."

"Then get more than one seat for him. We're all going."

The man swallowed hard, then nodded. After he had booked the flight and they had gotten the tickets, they went to look for food and a place to rest.

Cyborg stepped off his plane and left the airport in silence. He walked to a nearby motel and bargained with the owner, a strange man with a hearing problem, and eventually secured his room.

He walked up to his room, and, without even looking around, collapsed onto the bed.

Ok, I can't wait anymore. If it seemed like these last couple chapters were just killing time (in the series or in real life) its because that is what I wrote them to do. I had to wait for a while before what happens next. Also, I had to make sure that the Titan's were spread out enough that they couldn't get to each other quickly.

Please review. Flames are accepted.


	5. Author's Note I'm Back

So… I feel like I owe everyone an apology. After all, you were expecting me to write more, and I was going to… and then I didn't. I've been meaning to lay off them for a while, but I found a bunch of other people's stories that I've printed out/saved onto my comp (Raven A. Star and Taiba, this is largely directed towards you, lol) and it made me feel nostalgic… So I went back and was reading all the old favorites, and then I decided "Hey, I'll read the reviews people sent me", 'cause I haven't done that in a while…

Anyways, the point is, all of them made me remember how much joy I took in writing (even when I thought that people would hate my stuff), so I'm going to try starting up again. If you go to my bio, I'll have a list of what you all can expect to have finished, and I'll TRY to update at least once a week. Please keep in mind, quality is going to be more important than keeping up with that deadline, so if I don't update as consistently as I planned, I'll have another coming soon.

Anyways, sorry for those of you who saw the alert in your email and thought this was actually new… but I promise to get something up for you soon. Please, feel free to drop me an email or will both work). Talk to you later.

Kyle Monaco


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